Klan not welcome in Santa Fe
Law says city must accomodate racist group

01/31/2003

By Janice Williamson / 11 News

GALVESTON COUNTY (KHOU) -- For the third time in two years, the Ku Klux Klan will make a visit to a town near Houston.

Many people in the Galveston County town of Santa Fe are outraged by the group's plan to hold a meeting there in April. They say it only adds to the town's bad image.

Folks in Santa Fe say they don't deserve such a bad reputation. "Well, they say, you know, that we hate black people and it's just a bunch of rednecks," said volunteer firefighter Jim Cargile.

Cargile is among those who wish the klan would stay away. "I'd prefer they wouldn't come, but I don't think you're gonna stop 'em from coming."

A man claiming to be a member of the Ku Klux Klan has rented the city-owned community center for a lecture and exhibit about the hate group.

Just about everyone in Santa Fe has an opinion about the group.

"We do not need to go to another country to get terrorists if we allow them to come to our own city and frighten and destroy people that God made equal with us," Santa Fe resident Marjorie Enisse told City Manager Joe Dickson.

Dickson told Enisse he "totally agreed" but the city is legally bound to allow the klan to rent the center. The law says the city must rent the community center to any group that can pay and follow the rules.

KKK holds recruiting rally in Santa Fe
By The Associated Press
(4/29/02 - TEXAS CITY, Texas) — Efforts by the small community of Santa Fe to change its image and promote itself as a place of racial and religious harmony took a step back as the Ku Klux Klan came into town this past weekend to recruit.
"I was amazed at what I can only call an open reception in Santa Fe. I saw people waving and cheering the bus," Donna Nevelow, a local resident who followed the bus when it came into town, told the Texas City Sun for its Monday editions.

The White Camelia Knights of the KKK made a recruitment tour from Hitchcock to Santa Fe on Saturday.

Charles Lee, spokesman for the organization, said Santa Fe is an annual Klan stop. In previous weeks, they were touring communities surrounding Houston.

"We have members in Galveston and they do have friends in the area," he said. "Some are in Santa Fe and we're here to find out more."

In recent years, Santa Fe has garnered a reputation of intolerance.

A landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in June 2000 ruled the Santa Fe school district's policy of allowing student-led prayers at campus events violated the constitutionally required separation of church and state.

In the wake of the prayer debate, a then 13-year-old Jewish middle school student received a series of threats.

Then, a television news report showed a black man being arrested after he asked a Santa Fe police officer how to file a complaint against the department.

After a visit by the Anti-Defamation League, Santa Fe leaders began an anti-hate campaign dubbed "Santa Fe is No Place for Hate."

The local ABC affiliate KTRK 13. interviewed Santa Fe city manager Joe Dickson where he made claims that his office is being flooded with callers angry about the city allowing the Klan to use this community center. Unfortunately KTRK has yet to put this report online, and they tend to aviod putting video up. I wonder what he means by a flood considering the size of this town. We should give him a call and tell them how the people really feel instead of having a set up cry-fest on TV with some liberal middle-aged woman holding a picture of a negroid while claiming how racists shouldn't be allowed to use civic centers they pay for with their taxes since they're all racists.

City Manager Joe Dickson is the one that is trying so hard to get the Klan's event cancelled and rally antis/media to protest this event. Maybe a few of you will be available Monday to ring up City Hall and add your voice to the 'flood' of calls.

I see it has made the news, we will be having a little texas get together, in Sante Fe, and all WHITES are welcome! Take heart ladies and gentlemen, when we put on a show, we are always in charge, and charles and myself will be there! By the way, did you watch the news information? wasn't it just so loving? Notice any self hating whites? The jews always are such nice people, aren't they? See you in Sante Fe!